It is common to display various types of electronic devices (cell phones, cameras, PDAs, tablet devices, etc.) in a secured fashion on a countertop in a store. Often times, the device is mounted to a display post, sometimes with a tether or other mechanical means that secures the device to the post. Depending on the specific device, sometimes the device is mounted to a post in a way that allows the device to be turned or rotated without lifting it. Various kinds of security sensors are commonly used on the display.
Smart phones and tablet devices have rectangular display screens that adjust the orientation of the content on the screen so that it remains readable to the eye of the user, even though the device (and its screen) is rotated between portrait and landscape orientations. This is a common feature of tablet devices like the iPad (Registered™ of Apple).
Because these products are becoming more common in the consumer hand-held market, consumers in the store want to manipulate the product to evaluate the display screen—which includes rotating the product at the point of display. For this reason, it is not uncommon to provide display mounts that allow product rotation in some fashion.
However, allowing product rotation raises a set of mechanical and electrical issues relating to these mounts. As an example, if a typical tethered mount is simply turned or twisted in place, it creates undesirable stresses on the tether, particularly, if the tether consists of conductor wires for delivering power to the device or security sensors.
The retailer also wants a usable display that manages the appearance of all the displayed units in an attractive way. In other words, the retailer does not want a series of tablet devices displayed haphazardly, but would prefer all of the devices to be neatly aligned when a potential purchaser is not examining them. Sales people do not always have the time to revisit the display on an ongoing basis to realign the products after a consumer passes the display.
The invention described here is an improved rotational mount that is particularly well-suited for the display of consumer hand-held devices in the retail environment.